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This time I'm looking for recommendations on a honesuki or boning knife, as I cannot stand the cheapy mercer one I'm stuck with from what's left of my school kit.

I am right handedPrefer western handles but wouldn't mind trying out a wa styleHave only worked with 50/50 knives, have no experience with asymmetrical edgesI haven't owned a carbon steel blade but always take care of my knivesAnd I am learning to freehand sharpen.

If you were butchering mostly chickens I would recommend a honesuki. Since you are doing mostly loins and other meats I would recommend a stiff boning knife. Another helpful piece of info is how much do you intend to spend.

Melampus

Post subject: Re: Looking for a honesuki/ boning knife

Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2013 9:42 am

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Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 10:42 amPosts: 3915Location: USA... mostly.

7892 <> DAMNIT! I sent a long reply last night, but lost into cyber abyss, it went. This site's server sucked for me last night; my connection was a steady 18mbps.

I prefer the Gokujo as a general boning knife. I own the Tojiro<--link though I find the tip needs profiling. If I were to buy another, I would buy the Shun<--link.

Honesukis are CRAZY TASK SPECIFIC, IMO. Don't get me wrong, there ARE those that use them as pettys & to process meat, but I am absolutely not one of them as I find them inappropriate for alternate tasks. The angle of the blade's edge as to the handle is just strange in other applications, for me... ESPECIALLY as a petty. It's VERY good with birds, but in a hyper precise kinda way. It's analogous to the Nakiri:Gyuto issue. I can do anything with a Gyuto as efficiently as I can do with a Nakiri, but the converse just can not be claimed. Same with a Honesuki:Gokujo/Hankotsu; I can do anything with a Gokujo as efficiently (& I'll lay money even more efficiently with a Hankotsu) as I can do with a Honesuki, but the converse just can not be claimed.

That said, I just received my first ever Hankotsu<--link which I anticipate to be the absolute bridge between the decisive incision power of a single-bevel, as most Honesuki are, and the versatility of a curved boning knife. I have yet to put an edge on her, and I will add that I was curiously surprised by how it came. It has an edge on the tip half of the blade, but NOTHING on the heel half. I have no problem with no edge at all; rather, I prefer it, but half an edge... Very strange.

_________________Embracing the silence amid a life and land full of static...

DefMunky

Post subject: Re: Looking for a honesuki/ boning knife

Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2013 11:07 am

Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2013 11:44 amPosts: 627

I was looking at that hankotsu last night on the site. It looked like it only had a sharpened edge starting about halfway up, I guess you just confirmed that. lol

I figured it was built like that for hard core shallow tip work as is shown in the vid where he's boning the NY strip. I'm guessing you could pull the edge back a bit if needed with stones for a little more versatility, but it looks like a very functional as a boning knife as is. Plus the tip looks like it would be awesome. lol The Misono hankotsu looks to have a longer edge with the blunt heel (http://www.chefknivestogo.com/misono6.html) and the Kikuichi Elite seems to be sharpened to the bolster (http://www.chefknivestogo.com/kielcaha15.html) but man it's spendy. lol

RedWattle

Post subject: Re: Looking for a honesuki/ boning knife

Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2013 12:02 pm

Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 4:29 pmPosts: 495

Mel is right on point. I agree with everything he said there. I think that's what your looking for. I don't have personal experience with those specific knives, but for dual purpose, pretty sure that's what you'll need.

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